On Monday, the program celebrated its 25^th year of helping people across the region who have had a brain injury.

MWBIRP manager Denise Young said the event celebrated the history of the program, and the journeys of clients and their families.

Guest speaker from the United States was Dr Tim Feeney, who is one of the world’s leading practitioners of Positive Behaviour Support in acquired brain injury.

Ms Young said it was a benefit for the program’s staff and specialists to hear about the impact the MWBIRP has had on so many people.

Brain injuries can be acquired through a number of ways such as accidents, falls and assaults (traumatic injuries) or through episodes including a stroke or cerebral hemorrhage (non-traumatic).

No matter how the injury was acquired, each individual’s recovery time and the complexity of ongoing rehabilitation varies between each person.

“Some people have a very short period of loss of consciousness and periods of confusion,” Ms Young said.

“Sometimes it can be seconds or minutes that they lost, other people may lose weeks or months.”

Ms Young said while many people still have to travel to Sydney for the acute part of their brain injury treatment, the MWBIRP assists people after they are released from hospital.

On average, MWBIRP will treat around 100 people each year, including Ms Young said, around 40-50 who are returning patients.

The help that is provided varies from person to person depending on the damage to the brain.

“If there’s injuries to our brain that create permanent damage, often people have to re-learn skills like language and communication,” Ms Young said. 

“People can have problems learning new things. People can be overwhelmed by things around them.

“We’re helping people make the most out of their life.”

MWBIRP is part of a network of programs across the Central West for people who have suffered brain injuries.